Dicksonia Antartica- pics, what do we think?

[seeyouyesterday]

This is my Dicksonia Antartica. 1ft trunk. Had about 7 wks. I have posted about this before, this is an update. So basically it’s still has a very empty crown. No new knuckles developing at all, no bumps nothing. I really don’t know if I am being impatient or if I should be concerned. I have been looking after it as advised, daily watering. It’s in a big pot in the shade. Going by the photos, what do people think, is the plant viable? It has 2 old fronds on, from last season but there’s just nothing new happening, should there be by now? It costs a lot of money so that’s why I’m worrying!

I'd try some fertilizer and some mulch to keep the soil moist. Is there any chance you could plant it in the ground?

@doonaduvet It used to be on the patio & when I watered it, the water runs straight through it straight away, I moved it to a shadier spot & on soil, the water obviously still runs straight through, leaving the soil underneath a rather muddy pool as it’s soaked. If I planted it in the soil there it would just be sitting in a muddy pool - as the water obviously isn’t draining away from the soil, that’s my logic, I don’t know if I’m right?! There isn’t anywhere else I can plant it!

Am I right I’m thinking there should be some signs of new knuckles forming or am I being too premature?

Sometimes new fronds just come out really quickly so I would just give it some love and not give up on it yet. My MIL used to say make sure you water the sides as they act like roots - not sure if that is true though.
For the water issue, try putting the pot on some feet in a large tray with stones - like a water feature - that will collect the water and keep the area around it humid, like in a rainforest, but allow the pot to not get water logged.
Give it seaweed or a fertilizer for ferns, something with low phosphorus every 2 weeks and mulch it. If no new fronds come up it could be because the crown was damaged by frost this past winter, next winter protect the crown with some dead leaves or straw, again this is what happens in a rainforest when the trees around drop their leaves.
Please keep me updated - Dicksonia Antarctica's are one of my favourite plants, we recently moved from a house where I planted one when we first moved there over 20 years ago, I raised it from even smaller than yours and it was about 3 metres when we left - it's the plant I miss the most and considered cutting it at soil level and taking it with me but I didn't want to risk killing it and I'm sure the new owners wouldn't have been happy.

My dicksonia never gets new fronds before June . It’s in a half barrel on the shady side of the patio . From April i feed it weekly with tomato food. Just a litre poured into the top . ( a litre of water with about half an inch of tomato food) . I always think it’s not going to happen but then it does . I’m sure it will be fine .

Has it got enough soil / in a big enough pot? Water runs through my pots when there isn't enough soil to soak it up....

@doonaduvet - I did put one of those shallow plant pot trays under it, but the water was just just sitting in it so I thought that can’t be good for it, it’ll get waterlogged so took it away. I’ve got some big pebble stones, should I put some of those under the pot, do you think that would help? That must of been heartbreaking leaving that at your old house, well garden should I say. I dread to think if we moved, DH doesn’t like having plants in pots (thinks it looks messy!) so have most in the ground - in the back of my mind I do fret if we ever had to move…
@Vicliz24 - thanks for the tip about tomato feed, will give it a try.
@SleepingisanArt -I think it’s got enough soil, it’s in a 50cm pot so fairly big.

And I thought I’d just buy it, water it & that would be that! No other plant has caused me so much bother!! Hopefully, in weeks to come, it’ll prove me wrong….

Just to update and say I have got my first new frond visible above the crown today . Hope yours is showing signs now op

@Vicliz24 thats great to hear that yours is starting to show signs of new fronds.

Unfortunate my I’ve sent my DA back. There just wasn’t anything happening & I'm sure it was starting to smell a bit funny. Anyway DH could see I was stressing over it & in his words ‘a plant should be making you happy, not giving you headaches!’

It’s a shame as I’ve always wanted a DA. The company I purchased from were absolutely brilliant, their customer service is fantastic & I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase from them again, I don’t doubt for a second they sent out a healthy plant as they’ve emailed & said they can feel very small bumps in it - perhaps I’m just not good with this type of plant!